Game apparatus.



A. LAHSEN.

GAME APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED SEPT-l4. I917.

Patented Apr. 29,1919.

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, .3 I Illllll/Illlllf rlfllll 1/ A. LARSEN.

. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. H. 1911.

1,302,387. I Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. LARSEN.

GAME APPARATUS,

APPLICATlON FILED SEPT-14. 1'917.

Patented Apr. 29,1919.

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mom) orcmsvnnm, omo; essr'onon. TO 13mm MANUFACTURING comm, OI INDIANAPOLIS, HTDIANA, A CORPORATION.

To all whom it may concern tion.

Be i known that I', ARNOLD Larsen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a. specificas This invention relates to a game apparatus comprising an alley upon which-one or a more players can produce various scores by means of balls rolled along said alley,

The object of the invention consists 1n the provision of a game apparatus for both indoor and outdoor use, afiording clean and p healthful recreation; one requiring practice to. attain skilful manipulation of the balls for securing a high, score, so that mental alertness, zeal and enthusiasm are stimulated in each participant in the game.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of a game apparatus wherein the grand total of the percentage attainable by each player may vary according to his sklll. the apparatus including score tab-.

ulating and indicating mechanism showing the total percentage attained by the player aseach ball is thrown, together with a resetting device for simultaneously resetting all of-the score tabulating and indicat' blades to normal at the conclusion of cal-2g players turn at play. V

I accomplish the above objects of the in vention, and such others asmay appear from trated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1. is a. fragmentary detail view,

partly in side elevation and partly in sec-' tion of my improved game apparatus. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, of which a part is in section, of the game apparatus, on a considerably enlarged scale. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation, on the line 2 2 in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view 1n frontelevation, showing the Specification of Letters Patent- 1 P Application fled September 14. 1917. Serial no. 191.547.

tented Apr. 29, 1919.

in their extended position. Fig. 7 is a 'frag- I n'ientary detail plan view of the score tabulating mechanism showing the score indicat ing blades in their retracted or normal position. Fig. 8 is a rear view of the score tabulating mechanism. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view through the score tabulating mechanism, on the line 99 in Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a general view, in perspective, of the entire game apparatus.

. Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the frame of the ball course, and 11 the floor or alley upon which the balls are rolled. The alley 10 and floor 11 are arranged in an inclined position so that the spent balls ,are returned by means of a suitable race-way 9 beneath floor 11 to the players end of the alley. The elevated end of the alley 10 is connected to a vertically disposed upright frame'12 in which the score tabulating mechanism and mechanism for actuating same aremounted. Rising from the central portion of alley 10 is a race-way 13 which is arranged in an inclined position with its discharge end discharging into an inlet opening A in upright frame 12. The width of the surface of race-way 13 narrow as it advances toward its discharge end so as. to increase the liability of the balls leavthe race-way before reaching opening A, thereby necessitating more-practice and the acquisition of more skill onthe part of the player in keeping the balls on race-way 13. As shown in Flg. 4, upright frame 12 a; perusal of the annexed specification and" claims, by means of the construction Tis provided with three vertically disposed ball passageways or ball chutes 16, 17 and 18, through which the balls from the raceway 13 are directed downwardly upon suit able levers for actuating the score tabulating mechanism, for displaying the points scored bv the player. Inlet opening A is of suflicient length to admit a ballto any one of the ball chutes 16, 17 and 18. j

To roll a ball along the center of raceway 13 and thereby direct it into the central chute 17 is most diflicult and, consequently, when a ball passes downwardly in chute 17 it actuates the score tabulating mechanism "to indicate the highest possible score obtainable with a single ball, whereas when a ball passes into either of the chutes 16 or 18 it operates the tabulating mechanism to indicate a lower score. While I have shown 4 so that the total score can be built up through a greater numberof fractional parts,'without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Examining Fig. 4 it will be noted that the several ball chutes are staggered, chutes 16- and 18 being in line with each other, while chute 17 extends downwardly in the rear of the former. This arrangement in construction is merely to simplify the pas-' sage of a ball from chute 16 over to chute 18 and thence out through a common discharge chute 22. A ball passing downwardly in the central chute 17 moves transversely and is discharged through a chute 24 which is alined with discharge chute 22.

charged from either chute 16 or 18, and

the distance lever 25 is depressed as determined by means of an aperture 29 in the side wall of chute 22 (see Fig. 2 )wthrough which the ball is permitted to escape at the proper time. When lever 25 is depressed it pulls downwardly on a connecting-rod 30 which in turn depresses a lever 31 secured to an oscillating shaft 33 mounted between the side members 34 of the score tabulating device. Shaft 33 carries a pivoted pawl 36 which engages a toothed rack-bar 37 arranged on ahorizontally disposed. plate 38 having longitudinal movement between the side members 34. A rock-shaft 40 is mounted in sidemembe rs 34 and carries a series of'loosely mounted indicator blades 41 which contain the numerals for keeping the score. Each indicator blade 41 is provided on its inner and lower edge with an integral foot 39 and all of the feet stand'in the same horizontalplane when the blades 41 occupy normal vertical position, as indicated by the full lines in Fig. -8. A definite and' uniform amount is added to the length of each successive foot 39 from the back to the front of the series of blades 41, and the added length to each foot 39 coincides to the distance between the teeth on rack-bar 37. .Indicator blades 41 are held in normal verticalposition by means of the movable plate 38 and may be released singly or in pairs by imparting the desired amount of longitudinal movement to plate 38. Thus, when a-ball discharged from either chute 16or 18 contacts and-depresses le'ver 25, oscillating shaft 33 is actuated to move plate 38 one tooth on rackbar 37 through the medium of pawl 36, thereby releasing one ofthe feet 39 and allowing the connected blade 41 to drop into a horizontal vposition, as shown by means of the dotted lines in Fig. 8. The succes-- sive blades 41 in the series herein shown. are provided with certain numerals as, for'instance, the first plate carries the numeral 50; the next blade and the next and so on throughout the series. Hence, when plate 38 is moved a suflicient distance to free the first blade the numeral 50 will be displayed. When a ball passes through the central chute 17, and out through thedischarge chute 24 lever 26 is depressed twice the distance that lever 25 moves when depressed, for the reason that chute 24 contains no aperture similar to aperture 29 in chute 22, so that lever 26 must be depressed to a point to afford a clear passage for the ball through chute 24. This additional throw of lever 26 causes plate 38 to move a-distance equal to two teeth of rack-bar 37 and is sufiicient to free two of the feet 39 and allowing two of the blades 41 to drop .and display 100 points of increase in the score. As soon as the balls are clear of either of the levers 25 and 26 these levers are-returned to normal by means of the springs 44. Plate 38 is moved longitudinally away from the feet 39 in opposition to a spring 43, and to prevent said spring from permaturely retracting 'said plate 38 when pawl 36 moves backward, I provide a stop-dog 47 which is mounted on a rock-shaft 48 and which will be hereinafter described. On each backward stroke pawl 36 is disengaged and held free of rack-bar 37 until it again moves forward, thereby allowing plate 38'to move to normal at any time the resetting mechanism for the score tabulator is actuated to disengage stop-dog 47 from rack-bar 37. Pawl 36 is disengaged from rack-bar 37 on itsbackward stroke by means of a pin 49 coming into contact with'the inclined face 50 of stationary block 51 secured to the inner wall of one of the side members 34 of the score tabulating device' Spring 53 serves to hold pawl 36 in engagement with rack-bar 37 when the pawl is free of stationary block 51. 7

After a player has thrown his allotted number of balls and one or more of the indicator blades 41 have dropped into horiz'ontal position, it becomes necessary to reset blades 41 to normal position before the next player takes his turn at play, in order that each players score may be separately tabulated. The resetting of the" score tabulating mechanism is accomplished by means of a hand operated lever 55 which is preferably located at theside and near the players end of alley 10 for the convenience of the players, and extendingfrom lever 55 to the opposite end of alle 10 is a cord 56 which connects with a rig t-anglelever 57 through which'the line of draft is directed toward the top of upright frame 12. A cord 58 extends vertically from lever 57 and engages a right-angle lever 59 and the latter, by means of a link 60, aetuates a U-shaped lever 61 for resetting indicator blades 41. The U-shaped lever 61 is centrally pivoted on shaft 40. When indicator blades 41 drop into horizontal position,

through the action of levers 25, 26 and plate 38, their rear edges rest against a crossbar 62 which connects the side members of lever 61 together, and when lever 61 is rocked on its pivot from the players end of the alley, cross-bar 62 will move fallen blades 41 upwardly into vertical normal position. WVhen the indicator blades reach normal position they are locked by means of the movable plate 38 resting, upon the upper edges of feet 39. As plate 38, during its intermittent progressive movement in freeing blades 41, is held in extended position through the medium of stop-dog 47. said dog must first be disengaged from rack-bar 37 before plate 38 is free to return to normal position under the influence of spring 43. Stop-dog 47 is disengaged from rack-bar 37 by means of a connecting link engaging U-shaped lever 61. When lever 61 has moved blades 41 into vertical normal position, during which time dog i7 is disengaged from rack-bar 37, and plate 38 moves to its normal position to lock blades 11, dog 47 immediately reengages rack-bar, when lever starts to descend, through the freedom of action of slot 68 in link 65 engaging an eccentrically arranged screw 69 on lever 61. Lever 61, in addition to the weight applied by leaves 41, is positively lowered into normal position. under the influence of a spring 70.

After the several movable parts have been returned to normal, the apparatus is ready for the next player to take his turn at play.

.Having thus fully described my said in-' vention, what I desire to charge opening for the outer chutes and an independent discharge opening for the central chute, and ball actuated'levers extending into the discharge openings of said outer from and having its discharge end elevated above the surface of the alley, said ballcourse decreasing in width toward its discharge end, an upright frame arranged at one end of the alley and provided with a ball inlet opening adapted to receive balls dischargedfrom said ball-course, a plurality of vertically disposed ball-chutes arranged in said frame, said chutes having their discharge ends located in the same transverse plane, ball actuated levers extendin into the discharge ends of said chutes an actuated by the passing balls, and means for freeing the balls from part of the levers at an earlier period of time than the balance of the levers.

3. A game apparatus comprising an alley for restricting the pitched balls within prescribed limits, a ball-course rising centrally from the alley and having its discharge end elevated above the alley surface, an upright frame arranged at one end of the alley, said frame having a ball inlet opening for receiving the balls from ballcourse, a plurality of vertically disposed outer and centrally located ball-chutes in said upright frame and communicating with said ball inlet opening, a common discharge openingfor the outer ball-chutes and an independent discharge opening for the central chute, ball actuated levers actuated by the balls passing through the discharge openings, score indicator devices comprising a plurality of score indicator blades, and blade releasing means for releasing one or more blades when the levers are depressed by the balls.

4. A game apparatus comprising an alley for restricting the pitched balls within prescribed limits, a ball-course rising centrally from the alley and having its discharge end elevated, above the alley surface, an upright frame arranged at one end of the alley, said frame havin a ball inlet opening for receiving the balls from ball-course, a plurality of vertically disposed outer and centrally located ball-chutes in said upright frame and communicating with said ball inlet opening, a common discharge opening for the outer ball-chutes and an independent discharge opening for the central chute, ball actuated levers actuated by the balls passing through the discharge openings, score indicator devices comprising a plurality of score indicator blades, bla'de releasing means for releasing one or more blades when the levers are depressed by the balls, and stop-means for holding the blade releasing means at each step in releasing the blades.

5. A game apparatus comprising an alley for confining the pitched balls within pre- &

scri'bed limits, a ball-course for directing a pitched ball away from the surface of the alley, means for iding the balls along determined pathsoft ravel, ball actuated levers actuated by the balls traveling through the apparatus, a score indicator device comprising a plurality of independent score indicator blades, blade releasing means for releasing one or more blades when the levers are depressed by the passin 'balls, stopmeans for holding the blade re easing means at each step in its movement, means actuated by the player for disengaging said stopmeans, and means for returning said stopmeans to normal position.

6. A game apparatus comprising an alley for confinin pitched balls Within prescribed limits, a bal -course for directing a properly pitched ball away from the surface of the alley, ball actuated levers actuated by the pitched balls passing through the apparatus, a score indicator device comprising a plurality of independent score indicaton blades, means for releasing one or more of said blades when the levers are actuated, and means for simultaneously resetting all of the released indicator blades to normal, at the will of the operator.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Cleveland, Ohio, this tenth day of September, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

ARNOLD LARSEN.- [1,. s.]

Witnesses: 1

O. GENT, H. MoRms. 

